There is only one ocean and its preservation is essential to the survival of humanity; this is the message that UNESCO and its Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) would like to convey in an exclusive exhibition by photographer Alexis Rosenfeld, from 4 March 4 to 30 April in Paris Gare de Lyon, in partnership with SNCF Gares & Connexions. A virtual tour of this event is available online through the following link: www.1ocean.blue.
Entitled ‘1 Ocean, the great testimony’, the exhibition explores an oceanic heritage whose preservation has become imperative for the future of our planet. The twenty underwater photographs exhibited in the open air - some of which are unpublished – will be the starting point for a more ambitious project in the framework of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). These photographs are the first steps in the ‘1 Ocean’ project that Alexis Rosenfeld and UNESCO will launch to take 1,000 photographs during the Decade.
Taken from the Mediterranean Sea to the Coral Sea Natural Park in New Caledonia, one of the largest protected marine areas, these twenty photos will reveal the beauty of small, little-known organisms whose role is essential to the balance of the ocean, as well as that of the majestic whale shark, symbol of power and fragility, like the ecosystem in which it evolves. The exhibition will allow visitors to plunge into the heart of a coral culture, a half-animal, half-mineral being whose life depends on the microscopic algae that feeds it. Its future and the one of marine biodiversity, depends on our ability to tackle the challenges of global warming and threats posed by pollution or devastating fishing methods.
This project aims to highlight the central role of scientific knowledge by relying on the power of images to change our behavior. One of the first threats weighing on the ocean lies in our lack of knowledge of a vital ecosystem.
For the Executive Secretary of the IOC-UNESCO, Vladimir Ryabinin, "sharing knowledge, transmitting knowledge, raising awareness about this wonderful world without borders is one of the key actions of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. ‘1 Ocean, the great testimony' acts as a relay for UNESCO's environmental concerns to decision-makers, scientists and the general public".
With 150 Member States, the IOC-UNESCO promotes international cooperation in marine science to improve the management of the ocean, coasts and marine resources. IOC-UNESCO coordinates several tsunami warning programmes.
As a professional photographer and diver, Alexis Rosenfeld, who was a crew member on Commander Cousteau's last expedition to Madagascar, also participated in the discovery of the wreck of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's plane.
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To follow the 1 OCEAN campaign on social media
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Twitter : @AlexisRosenfeld
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Twitter : @IocUnesco
Venue
Open-air exhibition on the forecourt of Paris Gare de Lyon:
From March 4 to April 30, 2021
20 photos XXL format [2.49m x 1.91m] backlit.
Place Louis-Armand, Paris (12th) - Access to the square by the Boulevard Diderot.